The making of our Christmas Card

A few weeks ago my fantastic, understanding, lovable, sensational, amazing, brilliant husband spent an hour (or 2) taking family photos with me, Caitlin, and the dogs for our Christmas card.

***Every year I buy the cards, sign them, put names and addresses on them and then something goes wrong... I have to get postage. So the cards get set to the side and I don't even think about them again until after christmas when I am boxing all of decorations up. So this year I was determined to get a wonderful family photo to send out. There is no way I was going to go another year without sending a holiday gretting to my friends and family. I especially did not want to be "Typical Sara" and  hear my hubby make fun of me all year long again. (He brings up the non-mailing of the Christmas cards all the time)

We have many many many attempts at the picture. Here are the best ones from the day...

Here is when it started to get fun. I desperately wanted a picture with the dogs.

This was getting difficult because I took my glasses off so we wouldn't have to worry about the glare from them so I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING after I hit the timer on my camera. (You cannot see it in the picture but most of my ornaments are sitting on the floor behind me because I kept knocking them off)

I thought we were finished and I let everyone change into PJs (because it was a lazy Sunday) but then I looked at the 30,047 pictures that were already taken and did not like them.

As you can see Aaron was thrilled to try again.

Hmmm... getting closer- if I could just get Remi to understand the camera is not on my face.

AND FINALLY A GOOD PICTURE OF

ALL 5 OF US!!!

(or at least one where we are all looking at the camera)

Unfortunately, I decided to use a picture of just Caitlin for our Christmas card but I put a family portrait in the envelope with the main picture so I wouldn't completely make Aaron mad.

Here is our actual Christmas card for 2010...

P.S. I really love my husband for being so patient!!

Christmas Parade

Saturday, December 11th was Caitlin's first Christmas Parade. It was extremely cold that day and it was so windy. But in true Caitlin form she was more worried about looking fashionable than staying warm. . I somehow tricked her into putting many layers on. We had 2 layers of thick tights, her cheer shorts, socks, 4 shirts, gloves, 2 ear warmers, and a jacket (which she would only drape over her legs while we were waiting for the parade to start)

Very proud Daddy and little Miss Princess waiting for the parade to begin.

Since Caitlin was one of the youngest girls in Show Stoppers she rode on the float. Most of the girls on the float are 5 years old and a few 6 year olds jumped on because there was extra room.

 The older girls marched behind the Director and did a little cheer. (This picture does not show it but there were thousands of people lined up along the streets)

This is the best video I have from the parade. Sorry about the quality- I was speed walking (we were at the front of the parade and moved very very fast for some reason) and trying to capture it all on film. Caitlin yelled MERRY CHRISTMAS during the entire parade. She got most of the other girls on the float to yell with her. It was so sweet to see the parade onlookers expressions when these sweet little girls spread their Christmas cheer. I was so proud of her!

Miss Ryan's tutu

I made my adorable niece Ryan a tutu for Christmas. Caitlin just had to model it for me, she was worried it would not fit Ryan.

So I had a mini photo session while she had it on.

And I played on Picasa until I got it just right.

If it looks this cute on Caitlin, I can't wait to see it on my Sassy niece.

I miss the sun in SUNday

Last Sunday we woke up to this...

I know it doesn't look like much but the little bit of snow was not the issue. The problem I had was the negative temperature (when you added the windchill in). We also had 20-30 MPH winds. I opened the door to look outside and almost turned into Frosty the Snowmom.

Caitlin kept me entertained indoors. She put on quite the show.

And she also had to take her breaks just like a real performer.

I did not pick out her outfit. She choose everything from head to toe. I love that she put a Santa hat on AND a tiara. She also selected these heels from her collection.

Breakfast isn't just for eating anymore

This is what happens when you take two silly girls out for breakfast...

The next picture also has a quote to go with it.

 "There's nothin better than hashbrowns"

8 year olds are so silly

FINALLY- a normal picture with both girls smiling.

My Snowfamily

I am so proud of my newest craft project. It is my Snowfamily.

Starting from the left: Aaron, Me, Caitlin, Kya, and Remi

I got the idea here.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

A few weeks ago we decorated our new Christmas tree. For the last 5 years or so we have had a live tree. I love the smell of a real tree but I don't really care too much for the constant falling needles and removal of the tree. It is always freezing after Christmas and the last thing anyone wants to do is have to haul a huge tree outside and somehow make it to the recycle centers while they are open. My fantastic Mama (my grandma) had an artificiall tree that she was wanting to get rid of. She has only had this tree for a couple of years but she needed to get rid of it because it is a tad large and a little bit on the heavy side. I jumped at the chance to take this tree. The limbs are very full and already has the lights in it. (AWESOME!!!)

I got out my huge box of ornaments and laid them all out so Caitlin could help me put them on the tree. I love getting all of my ornaments out because it takes me down memory road. Since I was born, I have always received a Hallmark ornament from Santa. This is my very first ornament. It is 28 years old and still looks amazing.

 Santa never forgets- he handpicks the perfect ornament for me. My brother and sister always had a Hallmark "series" that they received but I was always drawn to the random cutesy ornaments. I will say most of them ended up being kitty cats (because I loved kittys when I was younger). As I have grown up the ornaments started to become a little more mature. When I was just dating Aaron, we got a couples ornament. The year I got married I received the Brunette Wedding Barbie- I cherish that ornament, it just might be my favorite one.  And when we were expecting Santa knew that we would want a little crib.

 My little angel has also started her own collection. She officially has 5 hallmark ornaments and these two are her absolute favorites. This is the first year that I have allowed any of the breakable ornaments to be on the bottom half of the tree. We have had to have lots of discussions about how ornaments are not for playing, they are just meant to make the tree look beautiful.

I got all of the ornaments out and Caitlin saw the tree toppers. Before Caitlin was in our lives we used this extremely sparkly star- I think there is about 5 pounds of glitter on this thing. Caitlin wanted to put the star on 1st. Aaron tried to lift her up, this tree is a little bit larger than we are used to.

So Aaron tried to do it himself. The tree almost touches the ceiling so the glitter star was not going to work.

This secretly made me happy- I love the TP roll angel that I made 3 years ago.

After we got the tree topper extravaganza over with we finally started putting all of the ornaments on the tree.

Yes- Caitlin is wearing a different shirt now. She changes clothes at least 3 or 4 times a day.

We also have lots of homemade ornaments. All of these absolutely melt my heart when I look at them.

And we will finish the tree off with the fisherman's stuff.

All done!! I completely forgot to put any tinsel or ribbon on it but it is so beautiful that I think I will just leave it as is.